The graves of “Galvanized Yankees” at Custer National Cemetery

A cousin of mine, David F. Aleshire, formerly of Co. C, 10th Virginia Infantry; captured at Spotsylvania Court House, 5/12/1864; sent to Pt. Lookout, Md. as a POW; enlisted in Co. H, 1st United States Volunteers ("Galvanized Yankees"). Died of scurvy at Ft. Rice, Dakota Territory, 4/4/1864.

Not too long ago, I took on the small task of looking into the stories behind the Galvanized Yankees who were buried (actually, removed from their original burial locations at Fort Rice and reburied in the Custer Battlefield Cemetery/Custer National Cemetery/Little Big Horn National Cemetery around the beginning of the 20th century). As most probably know, Galvanized Yankees were Confederates who, at different points after being put in POW camps, not only took the oath of allegiance, but also opted to enlist in the U.S. Army. At the very least, it seemed to offer a better alternative to life in a POW camp. That said, however, the reasons for switching coats may not have been that simple in all cases. I’ve got a number of theories about these men. Sure, some took what appeared to be the better alternative to POW camp life, but I also think that some may have been Unionists, and, some may have been on the fence (and or “leave aloners”) just enough to make “swallowing the dog” not so difficult to do. Anyway, After spending some time in the service records of these men (Footnote.com made that possible), I developed this list of Galvanized Yankees buried in Custer National Cemetery. Most of them served in the 1st United States Volunteers (most of them enlisted while in Point Lookout POW Camp in Maryland) and the majority died as a result of disease, though a couple died in combat fighting Native Americans in the Dakota Territory (one was actually listed as having died as a result of an “arrow through the lungs”). It’s a diverse group of men from a variety of Southern states, but the majority of them are Tarheels. I can’t explain quite why the Tarheel graves outnumber the graves of the rest of the Galvanized Yankees there. Perhaps they got the worst part of the situation and just had more men die out there, or, just maybe, it might be an indication that North Carolinians (33 out of the 70)*, more times than the rest, opted to join the USV than those Confederate soldiers from other states… because… well, fill in the blank if you want, but I think it might reflect that these men weren’t so dedicated to the ideas behind the Confederacy. A fairly large number of these Tarheels were from the western part of the state. There’s a lot more investigation worthy of time when it comes to these men, and, being fascinated by their stories, I don’t doubt that I will revisit them in my research… yet another iron in the fire for me. :-) Enjoy the virtual walk among the graves of these men…

*33 from N.C., 12 from Va., 6 from Tennessee, 3 from Ga., 3 from Ky., 2 from S.C., 1 from Ark., 1 from Ga., and then there were those a little more difficult to figure out… 2 from Ireland (but Confederate units unknown); 1 born in Ga., but served in an Alabama unit; 1 from Ireland, but served in a Alabama unit; 1 from New Jersey (but Confederate unit unknown); 1 from Ohio, but served in a Louisiana unit; 1 from France (but Confederate unit unknown); 1 from Germany (but Confederate unit unknown); 2 for whom I could find no birthplace or unit information.

That is absolutely fascinating, particularly the preponderance of North Carolinians. One of my mother’s great-grandfathers is buried there, too, after being removed from Fort Rice, though he wasn’t a Galvanized Yankee. It was a mystery to me where he was buried, but I assumed he had been relocated to Iowa, his home state. Only years after the fact did it occur to me to simply write to a state historian there and ask about where the Fort Rice burials were moved.

Well done research on one of the more obscure and intriguing groups of soldiers from the Civil War. My ggg-uncle is one of the North Carolinians interred in Custer National Cemetery, which I was not aware of before finding your post. I assumed he was buried in an unmarked location at Fort Rice but am glad to learn that his grave has not been lost and that there is a marker. My ggg-uncle was drafted into the Confederate army but had a brother who crossed the NC/TN border and enlisted in a Unionist regiment from eastern Tennessee. There was an uncle who volunteered for Confederate service one first cousin who “volunteered” shortly after the draft act passed and 2 other first cousins that were conscripted into junior reserve regiments. Therefore it is hard to ascertain whether this particular fellow was actually a Unionist at heart or just wanted to stay at home and be left alone. Nevertheless, I think it would be fascinating to know why the government felt compelled in the early 1900’s to move these soldiers from North Dakota to a battlefield in Montana to which they bore no relation.

Thanks! Glad to hear my research came in handy. I think the relocation of the Ft. Rice Cemetery was more motivated for the fact that the national cemetery in Montana had been so designated, and seemed the most sensible place to send the remains in lieu of leaving them near an abandoned frontier fort (abandoned in 1878, after the establishment of Fort Yates on the Standing Rock Agency).

I am always fascinated when I stumble upon blogs/information about the galvanized yankees. My ggg-grandfather, James Hamilton Cummons, was one (from North Carolina) who survived his time at Ft. Rice. Thank you for taking the time to honor those who did not.

Hello Robert,
Thank you very much, I have readeverything I could find on the “Galvanized Yankees” as my GGGF, David M. Starnes was one. His name was recorded as Stearns in some Confederate and all U.S. Army records. I knew he had died at Fort Rice, but had no idea how to find him. As his date of death was the date that they arrived at Fort Rice, I thought he had been buried on the way, Army practice being to list death by date reported.
I think he was in Company E, 1st USV according to North Carolina Stae Troops and the Soldiers and Sailors System.
Thank you for answering a question I started looking into over twenty years ago.

I have a ggg uncle David Jones that was in the 4th U.S. Volunteers and died at Fort Sully, Dakota Territoy, Any ideas where these graves ended up. He also was in Point Look out prison camp
Thanks
Roger Jones

I’m a little behind the curve on a few comments that have come way way in the last few months, but it seems to me someone brought the Fort Sully graves to my attention, with details as to what happened to those graves. Let me see if I can find it.

RAISING THE DEAD
Soldiers Who were Laid to Rest in the Old Fort Sully Graveyard Are Taken to Fort Sully
The Remains Carefully Exhumed Under the Direction of Lieutenant Handforth

The citizens of Pierre will remember the little graveyard four miles below Pierre. The old weatherbeaten fence has for many years protected the graves of the dead soldiers who died while protecting settlers on the frontier from Indians.

The department recently issued an order that the remains of those buried there should be removed to the post cemetery at Fort Sully.

Lieutenant Handforth has been in town with a detail from the post for the past week engaged in exhuming the remains of the soldiers. Unfortunately there is no record of the exact burial place of those who died, so that it is impossible to identify any of the remains. Lieutenant Handforth has prosecuted his work with a great deal of care and completed his labors yesterday. He furnished the Journal with a roster of the dead which we herewith append:

List of soldiers who died in the post hospital at Fort Sully, compiled from the monthly reports of that hospital from December, 1863 (first on file) to July 1866. Place of burial not stated:

Yes I have seen this article. It refers to the graves being moved from Fort Sully I to Fort Sully II. But what happened when Fort Sully II was deserted in 1894? I have seen a couple different versions of what happened to the graves after Fort Sully II was closed in 1894. One article in the Aberdeen Daily News, dated March 2, 1895 states, “St. Paul, March 2,—Between May 1 and June 1, 63 bodies will be moved from the Fort Sully Cemetery to the National Burying Ground of United States officers, soldiers, and their families at Fort Custer, Montana, by McCarthy & Donnelly of this city.”

I have talked to the people at Fort Custer Cemetery and they advised me that no records exist that any bodies were ever moved from Fort Sully to Fort Custer.

I have also talked to the South Dakota Archives and they believe that the bodies were moved to Fort Leavenworth Kansas.

After talking with the people at Fort Leavenworth Kansas they advised me that the South Dakota Archives is wrong, no bodies were received from Fort Sully .

In the mid 1950’s the Oahe Dam was built on the Missouri River and it backed up water and covered the Old Fort Sully site, there were more graves moved at this time, but nobody seems to know who or where they were moved. Hopefully they are not under water.

Of the 25 bodies that were originally moved from Fort Sully I to Fort Sully II, five were of the 4th U.S. Volunteers, one of them was my uncle David Jones.

I strongly believe that a Marker/Monument/Acknowledgement should be placed whereever these men are buried, or beside the Lake if they are under water.

I have sent a letter to the Veteran Affairs Grave Locators and am waiting on a reply as to where David Jones final resting place is. Will let you know when they reply.

Several relatives of mine from western North Carolina were “Galvanized Yankees.” After counting the number of them from North Carolina Troops, 1861-1865, A Roster, they number approximately 900, with most of them being in the army, a few in the navy and a few in the marines.

Robert, would you like my list of the 1st U.S.V. who died at Ft. Rice? I have just completed going through the service cards for that regiment. Drop me a line via email and I’ll send you my Excel database of those and the others from the remaining regiments I collected. Incidentally, there seemed to be a higher percentage of Tar Heels in the 1st as a whole. Similarly, the proportion of Alabama and deep Southern states seem to be higher in the 6th U.S.V. from research on that regiment so far.

Robert, in your list you leave out John W. Cantrell. I had a hard time reconciling that he was not the same as John Cantrell being in the same company but the enlistment date, birthplace, death date and cause of death for each are too, in my opinion, different to be the same person. John W. was from MD, age 28 at enlistment and gives his previous occupation as carpenter.

Creating the list was something that caught my attention when I realized there were all of these men without detailed information… it was a void that needed to be addressed. I’m not sure what might be next with my interest in Galvanized Yankees, but I do hold a definite interest in them.

Hi,
My 4th Great Uncle George W. Roland from Yancey County, NC was one of the galvanized Yankees that joined this unit. His service record indicates that he became sick at Fort Rice and was sent down the river to the hospital in Sioux City, Iowa. He is then discharged in Nov 1865. At that point, I lose track of him. Any chance that you know where he ended up or is buried? His family back home never heard from him again and didn’t even know he had switched sides while a POW.

Good stuff Robert! I just stumbled upon your blog and love it! have also recently become obsessed with the Galvanized Yankees after finding out that my Great Great Grandfather, William A. Harper was a part of Co. C, 1st U.S. Volunteer Infantry. He originally came from Heard Co., Georgia (Co. F, 21st Regiment Georgia Infantry, CSA I think) and was captured at Gettysburg on 3 Jul 1863; shipped to Point Lookout, MD in October 1863, then joined the Union “volunteers” in January, 1864. After spending time in Norfolk, VA he went to Fort Rice, DA. Thankfully, he survived Fort Rice and was mustered out at Ft. Leavenworth in November 1865.

I am having trouble finding him in any 21st Regiment, Georgia rolls. Any idea where I can look to find him on a Confederate roll? Company F came from Troup County, just south of Heard County, but he is not listed in the documentation I have found. Hopefully you can point me in the right direction.

The record for William Harper, Co. F, 21st Ga. Infantry, indicates his actual records are under “M. Harper”. I looked them up under Fold3 and they are indeed there… seven entries (including the main index card).

Thanks. Yes, I found those records. I was actually looking for his name on a roster such as “The Roster of Confederate Soldiers” where he does not show up. Those lists were probably all of the soldiers that were in Co F when it was formed. The 21st Regiment lost 3/4 of their men in early battles and my gg grandfather probably joined during summer/fall of 1862. I just can’t find the date that he joined up. I do know he was captured at Gettysburg on 3 Jul 1863 and ended up at Point Lookout, then Ft. Rice. Thank you for your response.

[…] In the meantime, enjoy this link to information about Fort Rice State Historic Site… where many a Galvanized Yankee spent some time. You may recall my efforts in identifying the Galvanized Yankees who died while stationed at Fort Rice, and whose re…. […]